The CISDL team organized a high-level panel in the “Trade and Sustainability Hub” organized by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), at the margins of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference (MC13) in Abu Dhabi.
The panel, entitled “Balancing Climate Change Commitments in EU Free trade Agreements”, enabled the CISDL team to share their recent findings on the two main reports, with the implementation of the comments contributed by the community of practice after the round tables in November. As a result, a second batch of comments – offered by the experts, delegates, and members of the private sector – was provided to the team. Participants of the panel include Members from the Delegation of Timor-Leste (recently admitted to the WTO); Pierre Leturq, Coordinator at the Green Trade Network (GTN); Lucian Cernat, Head of Global Regulatory Cooperation and International Procurement Negotiations at the European Commission; Members from Fair Trade International; Members of the private sector.
The CISDL team also had the opportunity, together with the Green Trade Network and E3G, to meet with two delegations from EU Members. The CISDL met with the Belgian Delegation, including Christophe Payot and Tine Jacobs.
The CISDL team also met members of the French delegation present at MC13, including Muriel Lacoue-Labarthe (Deputy director general at the French Treasury), Thomas Brisset (Head of the International Trade and Investment Rules Office at the French Treasury), and François Bazantay (Adviser in charge of the Trade Department at the Permanent Representation of France to the European Union).
Members that were present from the CISDL team – Markus Gehring, Marios Tokas, and Matheus Garcia – had the opportunity to engage with the delegation to the state of play of MC13 at that particular point in the negotiations. Discussions also surrounded the reaction of developing countries to the mirror measures of the EU, such as CBAM and the deforestation regulation. Members of the French delegation also shared their views on the course of the EU-Mercosur negotiations.
Finally, the CISDL team – represented by Prof. Ilaria Espa – met with Deputy Director General (DDG) Ambassador Jean-Marie Paugam. The fruitful discussion with DDG Amb. Paugam addressed various topics related to the outcome of MC13.